Skating, as a basis, is present in many sports. Well sharpened blades allow you to quickly move along the ice surface. Over time, the skate ceases to hold a sharp edge, and ride comfort is reduced.
You can restore the shape of the blade in specialized services. Well, for those who are used to doing everything themselves, machines for sharpening skates will come to the rescue.
Sharpening feature
Most people who rent skates from time to time believe that the skate runner has a smooth sliding surface. But this is not so. The inner part of the blade has the shape of a gutter. For different sports, its depth is different. The deepest for speed skating is 4.5 mm, and the smallest for figure skating is 2 mm. Such a shallow groove allows the figured skate to be stable and at the same time perform various maneuvers.
Modern hockey skates use not only the U-shaped profile of the blade. There are two more varieties:
- FBV. It has the shape of a trapezoid. It gives a good skating maneuverability and stability. Often used in US hockey associations. He appeared in Russia recently. A significant disadvantage is the rapid loss of cutting edge properties.
- Channel z It is a square profile inside a round trough, the radius of which depends on the weight of the athlete. Improving the speed properties is achieved by reducing the contact area of the blade with ice and reducing friction.
Precisely because the surface of the blade has a complicated shape, conventional grinding machines become unsuitable for sharpening such skates.
Manual sharpening method at home
In the case of infrequent skating, you can make a machine for sharpening skates with your own hands.
To do this, you need a round file or a thin file and a wooden block 10-15 cm long. A groove of 2-2.5 cm deep is cut out in the wood, into which the file is inserted. The cut width should provide a clear fixation of the tool inside. That is at work, he should not move along its axis.
After the installation of a file you can start sharpening. To do this, the cutting edge of the ridge is inserted into the groove of the bar. Slightly pressing on the device, you need to move it along the blade. Thus, removing the layer of metal, the file will form the desired profile.
After sharpening, burrs remain which must be removed with a flat file.
Prosharp Equipment
The choice of skate sharpening machine will be determined by factors such as frequency of use, power, and versatility. If it is planned to be used for individual purposes, then an inexpensive machine of small power is suitable. If the adaptation is necessary for business, then the main criteria will be reliability, serviceability and universal use, that is, the ability to specify a profile of any form.
Prosharp skate sharpeners are well-suited for professional use. These devices have a compact size and low weight to 15 kg. But at the same time, they can perform 5 sharpening options that will satisfy both hockey players and figure skating enthusiasts.
The blade is securely fixed in the bed and is automatically centered. The built-in vacuum cleaner removes particles of abrasive and steel that occur during operation. Several different templates free the operator from the need to carefully monitor the accuracy and correctness of sharpening.
Included with the equipment are diamond pencils, which are used to restore the profile of the grinding wheel. As additional supplies, Prosharp offers bars for removing large burrs, tools for straightening the blade, and a device for controlling the height of the ridges of the ridge.
Ice skate sharpening machine Smm
When there is a choice between an inexpensive price and a high-quality sharpener, the scales tend to favor lightweight professional devices. One of these is the Ssm 2 skate sharpener, which embodies one of the most popular work patterns.
An electric motor with an abrasive wheel on the shaft is mounted on a small bed in an upright position. The holder for the runner is fixed on the body. It is a movable clamp in which the ridge blade is in the same plane with the abrasive wheel. A mount for a vacuum cleaner hose is also installed here.
In order for the abrasive disk to not change its shape, on the opposite side there is a clip for a diamond pencil, which corrects the shape of the circle during operation. The weight of this skate sharpening machine is 1.3 kg, power 250 watts.
The main mistakes when sharpening
Modern devices have greatly simplified the process of sharpening. However, if the adjustments of the skate sharpening machine are not used correctly, this can lead to the following defects:
- The inner and outer sides of the blade are different in height, which leads to a loss of balance when riding. A similar flaw occurs when the blade position is not observed relative to the abrasive wheel.
- Different depth of the trough over the blade. This occurs if the skate is unevenly pressed during sharpening. In addition, overheating of the edge may occur, as a result of which it will quickly lose its sharpness.
- Incorrect profile radius. As mentioned earlier, the depth of the groove is selected according to the weight of the hockey player. Too deep a profile will lead to loss of maneuverability, and a shallow one will lead to a decrease in speed.
Conclusion
To summarize, we can say that not every blade profile can be restored at home. In addition, professionals recommend sharpening more often, but at the same time remove less metal, which will allow skates to serve for a longer time.